Two properties in Ramsgate were targeted by a burglar who has now been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
On Tuesday, May 14 Colin Langford’s victim was upstairs in her home in Chapel Place Lane at around 5pm when she heard footsteps on the stairway.
The woman thought it was her partner but soon realised it wasn’t when someone she’d never seen before peered round the door. When she asked him who he was and what he was doing in her house he ran back down the stairs and out onto the street.
The victim was able to provide a description of the suspect to Kent Police and later identified him at the police station as 49-year-old Langford, of no fixed address.
Langford also burgled a property in Cannon Road on Wednesday, July 11. In this instance the victim was asleep in bed but woke to find the burglar in his room searching through a box of jewellery. The man shouted at him and Langford fled the scene with jewellery, a phone and some loose change.
Officers were called to the scene where most of the jewellery was found discarded in the back garden. They carried out enquiries in the area and found Langford shortly after the incident in a nearby road.
He acted suspiciously and started to speed up when officers approached him. He was arrested on suspicion of burglary and officers seized two mobile phones, one of which belonged to the victim.
Langford admitted to both burglaries and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court yesterday (July 3).
Senior investigating officer Detective Sergeant Jay Robinson said: “Langford is an opportunistic thief who has shown no remorse for his actions.
“People should feel safe in their own homes and burglary is a terrible crime that can leave victims feeling scared and anxious long after the offences have taken place.
“We will continue to focus on catching and ensuring offenders like him are convicted.”